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Adoption Day

Today was the day…Adoption Day! I actually like the way a friend put it best…FOREVER DAY!! When I think of how many not-forever days my little guy has had in his eight years, I am SO thankful that today was a forever day. As we prepared for today, Tim and I mentally rehearsed our answers to the questions we would have to answer. Yes, adopting a child requires you to actually raise your right hand and testify with a real life judge and real life court people. Thankfully, our adoption specialist gave us a heads up on the questions we’d need to be ready for like our wedding date (yes, we actually debated on that question and considered asking her to look it up…we are THAT bad!). Then there were other questions, like, “Why do you want to adopt James?” That’s the one I got stuck on. I wondered if the judge wanted my short answer or my long answer. As it turned out, he didn’t want either…he didn’t even ask the question! Probably best, because the long answer would have kept us there all day! However, I still want to give my long answer, because one day, I want James to know for sure that he was fought for, he was wanted, and he belonged from the very beginning. So here it is…

Why did we want to adopt James?

Introducing James Timothy Wood

Because God left an empty spot in our family for seven long years…and he fills it perfectly.

Because we prayed….and he was the answer.

Because we have fought for him…and he has been worth it all.

Because he needed us…and we needed him.

Because he’s been the one missing at our dinner table.

Adopted at Age 8 on August 3, 2015, after 2 years of foster care.

Because over six months ago, we decided to love him…so we do.

Because we knew it was him, and when we met him, we couldn’t have been more sure.

Because we have cried together under the shade tree in the back yard…and we’ll probably do it again a few times.

Because this kiddo has a big future ahead of him…and we want to help him navigate it.

Because he calls our house “Home”.

Because his “heart has some light with siblings” in his life.

He deserves a do-over…one that includes a forever family.

And like I’ve told him over and over when he’s questioned our intentions, I want to be there to cry when we take him to drop him off at college…or trade school…or his first apartment…whatever.

I want to cry again at his wedding.

I want to be Grandma to his children, and I want to tell them the story of God’s hand in their Dad’s life.

I’m looking forward to the day that he talks about often…the day when he builds a house right beside us right here on Old Salem Rd and spends all his spare time working the farm with his family.

The Wood Children

I don’t know if this is what life will look like for us or not, but last night, as we were sitting together as a family, discussing the events of today, James said, “You know, it’s like yesterday and everything before it is the Old Testament of James, and tomorrow starts the New Testament of James.” And I think that’s the most exciting part of today. It’s a fresh start. His future is now in HIS hands, not the state’s, not the caseworkers’…and I ask you to pray with me that at the right time, God will impress upon him to choose to do the most important thing with his life, and put his life entirely in GOD’S HANDS.

Thank you all for your support and love throughout the past year and a half! It’s surreal that we are finally closing the door on this chapter and starting to write the rest of the book.